Battery-terminal adapter



Oct 9, 1928. 1,687,262 I I v. v. VAUGHN BATTERY TERMINAL ADAPTER Filed June 8, V 1927 Y Mafia/.2, 7 pawl U W1 4 ATTOQNE Patented I Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED STATES PAT VERSAL V. VAUGHN, 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

BATTERY-TERMINAL ADAPTER.

Application filed June 8,

This invention relates to adapters partaking of the form of bushings provided for use in connection with battery terminals and connecters,and the main object is to provide improved "means for connecting the cables from the battery to the terminals, whereby, due to the necessary shaving of the terminals, because of corrosion, the connecters may be made to more readily adapt themselves to the contour, size and character of the terminals than otherwise.

Another object is to provide a bushing for the purpose described and made of a soft metal such as lead, or a lead-alloy, and provided with a tapered skirt and a continuous flange at one end, the skirt being slit length-' wise to but not through the flange, so that when the connector is attached with the bushing interposed between the connecter and the terminal, the tightening of the same will conform the bushing to the terminal and provide a tight connection,-

Other objects may appear as the description of my device progresses.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown a preferred form of device, subject to modification within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical form of cable connecter for battery terminals;

Fig. 2.is a. perspective view of my improved bushing for use in connection therewith;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a battery showing one of the terminals thereon;

Fig. 4. is a sectional elevation of the bushin%, or adapter, on line 44 of Fig. 2;

ig. 5.is a sectional'plan of the same, on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. I

In the construction of electric batteries the terminals T are tapered from the bottoms upwardly and the positive and negative poles are of different size. The terminals T extend upwardly from the battery B and are 1 provided with flanges F against which the connecters C, shown in Fig. 1, rest when in position for use.

The connecters C are usually split at a point opposite the boss 2 which receives the cable 3, and are provided with outwardly projecting lugs 4, 4, connected by bolts 5 having nuts '6 thereon, whereby the con- 1927. S.eria1 No. 197,355.

necters may be tightly clamped on the terminals T. The openings 7 in the connecters are usually large enough to accommodate both the'positive and negative terminals of battery B.

My bushing, shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 is adapted to be positioned in the opening 7 of the connector 0 or on the terminal T of the Preferably, the bushings are formed of lead or a lead alloy and have skirts 8 slit longitudinally at 9 to the junction of the skirts with flanges 10 formed at the lower edges. The slit in the skirt provides a latitude of adjustment to the size and periphery of a terminal which can not be obtained by the use of a connecter C alone, especially after substantially long usage. Due to c0rrosion which occurs at the terminals of batteries B it is necessary to quite frequently shave and clean the corroded matter from the terminals T, thus gradually decreasing the diameter thereof to an extent which necessitatesnew connecters and causes the same to illy fit the terminals.

It is obvious that it is more economical to replace worn and corroded bushings at intervals than to replace the connecters. The flangeslO lend strength and rigidity to the bushings and also serve to render them easily positioned on the terminals. They, furthermore, adapt the bushings to -paoking,and shipping without distortion. The upper faces of the flanges engage the lower ends of the connecters as the same are forced downwardly on the terminals, thus forcing the bushings into proper position for use. Usually the flanges '10 rest on the portions F of the terminals. The flanges bein continuous, serve to prevent seepage 0 any liquid below the flanges.

The walls and flanges of the bushings are thin enough to make them readily adaptable to conformation with the peripheries of the terminals and are yet thick enough to lend sufficient rigidity to prevent buckling of the metal or breakage when they are being positioned on and removed from the terminals. lVhen properly positioned for use the slits of the bushings should be opposite the slits in the connecters so that any surplus material may be forced into the slits of the connecters.

It will be thus observed that I have provided a novel, simple, economical and practical device for the purpose described.

What I claim is:

1. A battery terminal bushing formed of soft metal and having an elongated tapered skirt provided with a'longitudinal slit open at one end and a flange formed around the outer periphery of the skirt at its other end, and closing. said slit.

2. The combination with a battery terminal havin a flange at the bottom thereof, of a bushing thereon provided with a continuous annular flange adapted to seat on the flange of said terminal, and a split skirt embracing the terminal above the flange.

3. The combination with a battery terminal and a connecter attachable thereto, of a 20 soft metal bushing interposed therebetween,

within, and a continuous flange below theconnecter.

4,. A battery terminal bushing formed of an integral piece of soft metal and having a continuous annular flange at its lower and larger end and a tapered split Sleeve extended upwardly from sa d flange and conformable to the peripheries of terminals of diflerent size.

5. A device of the character described comprising an integral bushing of soft metal,

having alongitudinally split tapered sleeve adapted to be held on a terminal and within a connector, and a continuous annular flange at the lower and larger end thereof, said sleeve being conformable to the peripheries of terminals of different size when said connecter is clamped on the terminal.

' VERSAL V. VAUGHN. 

